Department for Business and Trade

UK Trade with EU: Small Businesses

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help small and medium-sized enterprises prepare for new EU (1) regulations, and (2) taxes.

The Earl of Minto: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement means the UK can now regulate in a way that suits our economy and SMEs, doing things in a more innovative and effective way, without being bound by EU rules. UK SMEs can contact the Export Support Service if they have any questions on how to export to the EU. The UK tax system continues to be internationally competitive – with a lower tax burden than Germany, France and Italy and the lowest headline rate of Corporation Tax in the G7. Where businesses are operating overseas, they will of course need to consider and meet their tax liabilities in those countries.

Trade Agreements: Maldives

Lord Lansley: To ask His Majesty's Government whether, and if so when, they will initiate negotiations towards a free trade agreement with the Maldives.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The Department for Business and Trade held a public Call for Input into a trade deal with Maldives and is evaluating those responses and other factors to ensure that the opinions and interests of businesses, civil society groups, trade unions, public bodies and individuals are considered. The start of negotiations would be preceded by the publication of our strategic approach.

Department for Business and Trade: China

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the most recent visit byLord Johnson of Lainston to the People’s Republic of China, who he met; what he discussed; what response he received to any representations he may have made on the government of China's treatment of the Uyghur minority, threats to Taiwan, and imprisonment of pro-democracy advocates and lawmakers in Hong Kong, including the British citizen Jimmy Lai.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: In China, I met businesses and investors. Whilst attending the China International Fair for Trade in Services, I was briefly introduced to the Minister of Commerce and the Party Secretary of Beijing. I expressed support for our trade and investment relationship, where it is consistent with our values and national security.On 30 August, The Foreign Secretary visited China meeting senior government figures. He emphasised the UK's position on the mass incarceration of the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and raised rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, including the case of Jimmy Lai.

Department for Work and Pensions

Lead: Ammunition

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the unforeseen clearance issues, if any, that have delayed the publication of the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) assessment of the responses to the consultation on the phasing out of toxic lead ammunition that was due on 6 August; and whether they expect the HSE to deliver a dossier of options on the phasing out of toxic lead ammunition by 6 November, as legally required.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The restriction process in the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation (REACH) contains multiple stages for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to undertake in their role as the REACH Agency. Having agreed, in 2021, to prepare a restriction dossier in respect of the risks posed by the use of lead in ammunition to human health and the environment, HSE has progressed a number of these stages, including formulating a risk assessment opinion by the 6 August 2023 as required. The next stage is for HSE to publish this final opinion on risk assessment and open a 60-day public consultation on a separate opinion on socioeconomic analysis. To ensure that these are as robust and transparent as they need to be, there are established HSE internal clearance processes at various stages. This clearance process is well underway with the publication of the risk assessment opinion and public consultation on the socioeconomic analysis expected in the first half of October. REACH legislation does allow HSE to amend the deadline for delivery of its final restriction opinion. The current stage of the clearance process means that the scheduled delivery date of 6 November 2023 will be changed and a new date will be identified shortly.

Ministry of Justice

Secure Accommodation: Young Offenders

Lord Bradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the average length of stay in the youth justice secure estate for people (1) on remand, and (2) sentenced, in each of the past five years.

Lord Bellamy: Data on the median number of nights children and young people spent in custody in secure children’s homes, secure training centres and young offender institutions, broken down by remand and sentence type, are provided in the table below. The figures in the Detention & Training Order and the “Other” categories include nights spent in custody following recall.Year 2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-23Remand(1)3943596847Detention & Training Order92919711591Other(2)291294301193258 (1) Based on data from the Youth Justice Application Framework (YJAF), separate from adult offender data which is derived from the National Offender Management Information System (NOMIS).(2) The sentences included in this category are those provided in: sections 90 and 91 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000; sections 226, 226B and 228 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003; and sections 250 and 259 of the Sentencing Act 2020, Also included in this category are young people in custody under a civil order for breaching a gang injunction.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Palestinians: Development Aid

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what audit reports have been carried out on payments they have made to the Palestinian Recovery and Development Programme.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Following official development assistance (ODA) prioritisation exercises undertaken in March 2021, the UK no longer provides direct financial aid to the Palestinian Authority. All UK support to the Palestinian Authority is provided through technical advice, procured through commercial suppliers. The audits relate to UK funding provided through the World Bank's Palestinian Recovery and Development Programme, which has now closed, to the Palestinian Authority.

International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the mandate of the International Commission of Experts on Ethiopia is extended.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In 2021, we co-sponsored the EU-led resolution creating the mandate for the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) which we voted to renew in 2022. UK officials are engaging with counterparts in Geneva to gain support for a follow-up EU-led resolution given the need for accountability and an improvement in human rights more widely across Ethiopia. We urge the Government of Ethiopia to cooperate with both the Commission and with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Ethiopia: Emergency Powers

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in Ethiopia following the introduction of the state of emergency declared by the government of Ethiopia on 4 August.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 11/08/2023 the UK Government coordinated a statement with the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, calling for de-escalation and protection of civilians in the Amhara region. We continue to urge all parties to the conflict to find peaceful resolution through dialogue. Although 'Fano' Amhara militia groups have retreated from major cities the security situation remains acute with sporadic fighting.

Armed Conflict: Bank Services

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential humanitarian implications arising from restricted access to banking services in conflict zones; and what steps they are taking to ensure the availability of legitimate financial channels in such areas, with a view to continuing essential humanitarian work.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to enabling the delivery of essential humanitarian work in conflict and humanitarian crises. One step we have taken to ensure the availability of legitimate financial channels was securing landmark UN Security Council Resolution 2664, which provides a humanitarian exception for all UN sanctions regimes.We work to ensure UK sanctions do not have unintended adverse consequences on humanitarian delivery though regular engagement with partners across Government and the humanitarian and financial systems, including through the Tri-Sector Group.

Islamic State: Crimes of Violence

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the mandate of United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL is extended beyond 2024, following reports that this mandate may cease.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/ISIL (UNITAD); and what cooperation with UNITAD is currently underway, especially in relation to investigating and prosecuting British Da'esh/ISIL fighters.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK worked closely with the Government of Iraq, UNITAD and the UN Security Council members to agree an extension of UNITAD's mandate until September 2024. Resolution 2697 will allow further consideration of evidence sharing arrangements in accordance with UNITAD's terms of reference as well as options for the future of UNITAD's work.The UK regularly engages with UNITAD whose work supports HMG's objectives of holding Daesh accountable for their crimes and bringing them to justice. We are not able to comment on any individual investigations.

Armed Conflict: Bank Services

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reliance upon, and the success of, "hawala" banking systems in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Yemen, Sudan and Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and what steps they have taken to ensure these systems are protected as vital tools for local humanitarian actors and ordinary citizens to safely and securely transfer funds.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Money Service Businesses (MSBs), including Hawala, play an important role in conflict zones such as Afghanistan, Yemen, Sudan, Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. MSBs are often the only way of transmitting money, including remittances, to remote communities where formal banking services are limited. International standards on MSBs are set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which are implemented in full by the UK. Government guidance sets out clearly that hawala banking in the UK is legal and that many are regulated. In some cases, hawala are the only means of transferring funds into high-risk jurisdictions but the risks associated with their use need to be appropriately managed. Overall, we recognise that hawalas are an important tool for tackling poverty and promoting financial inclusion during conflict and humanitarian crises.

Syria: Turkey

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessments they have made of the implications of closing the North-West Syria "Bab al-Hawa" border crossing upon local humanitarian actors, for whom the channel between Syria and Turkey is crucial for aid delivery; and what steps they are taking to ensure it remains open for this purpose.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Over two months after Russia's veto of life-saving aid access into North West Syria, aid can now begin to enter North West Syria again through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing. While Russia is content to play politics with humanitarian aid, the UK will not abandon the 4 million people in urgent need. This year, the UK has committed up to £150 million to the Syria crisis. We are using our position on the UN Security Council to call on the Syrian regime to allow immediate, unhindered and sustainable aid access to prevent further humanitarian deterioration.

Sanctions: Humanitarian Aid

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government, while UN Resolution 2664 provides crucial sanctions exemptions for humanitarian work, what steps they are taking to ensure that there are (1) legislative models, and (2) regulatory policies, in place so that case-by-case assessments can be made to protect humanitarian and aid work in jurisdictions that are sanctioned.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK was pleased to support UN Security Council Resolution 2664, which was implemented in UK domestic law in February, and we will continue to work to mitigate any unintended negative humanitarian impacts of sanctions.The UK does not target food or medicines and UN and UK sanctions provide for a range of humanitarian exceptions and licensing grounds. The licensing bodies prioritise humanitarian licence applications to ensure case-by-case assessments of humanitarian activities can be made at pace and the UK also uses General Licences to respond to humanitarian crises, for example following the recent earthquakes in Syria.

Palestinians: Development Aid

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what checks have been carried out by auditors to ensure thattheir payments to the Palestinian Authority do not go towards the so called "Martyrs Fund".

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards they have put in place to ensure that no UK funds go directly or indirectly through the Palestinian Authority's so called "Martyrs Fund" to the those responsible for murdering Lucy Dee, Maia Dee and Rina Dee in April.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government was appalled by the horrific murder of Lucy, Maia, and Rina Dee in a terrorist attack earlier this year. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] and the Foreign Secretary also passed on their condolences to Rabbi Leo Dee when they met him in person in June. Our thoughts continue to be with Rabbi Dee and his family in the wake of this tragedy. Following Official Development Assistance (ODA) prioritisation exercises undertaken in March 2021, the UK no longer provides direct financial aid to the Palestinian Authority. All UK support to the Palestinian Authority is provided through technical advice, procured through commercial suppliers. No UK aid is used for payments to Palestinian prisoners, or their families or the Martyrs Fund, nor has it ever been. We continue to deliver a clear and long-standing message to the highest levels of the Palestinian Authority that the prisoner payments system should be reformed so that it is needs based, transparent and affordable. Officials maintain a regular dialogue with international partners on this issue.

Department for Transport

NATS: Staff

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the staffing shortages at NATS Holdings, (2) the reasons for a staff shortage at NATS Holdings, and (3) the impact of the staffing shortage on air services this summer; and what consideration they have given to imposing financial penalties on NATS Holdings.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government regrets the delays to passengers caused by staffing issues in the Gatwick air traffic control tower on 14 September 2023. My officials have and will continue to engage with the relevant stakeholders to ensure robust plans are in place to mitigate disruption, recognising that the safety of the operation must always be the paramount consideration for air navigation service providers. Officials have met with NATS Holdings, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Gatwick airport and easyJet to review their plans and to gain assurances that they are working together to deliver for the passenger. UK aviation operates in the private sector and tower services, including staffing, are a commercial matter between the airport operator and the service provider. NATS Holdings is an independent company and does not receive Government funding.

Avanti West Coast: Catering

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government what contractual commitments Avanti gave them for the supply of food in its first-class rail service.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Following a temporary waiver during 2020/2021 due to COVID, Avanti West Coast resumed its contractual obligation from June 2021 to provide a complimentary catering service for First Class passengers which is available 7 days a week. This provision of First Class catering will continue in the National Rail Contract set to commence on 15 October 2023.

Rolling Stock

Lord Bradshaw: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 September (HL10070), whether, when a train is not provided or runs in reduced formation (such as having five carriages instead of ten), the revenue of the train provider is reduced proportionately; and whether there is provision for the train provider to pay liquidated damages to the train operator to compensate them for the reputational damage and for any compensation paid to passengers in such cases.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Intercity Express Programme contracts requires the daily provision of trains of the correct formation to operate the planned timetable. As there has been full transfer of delivery risk passed to the train supplier, when a train provided that is shorter than that planned there is a reduction in the lease charge. The effect of this is that Hitachi will suffer the financial impact of these circumstances arising from the loss of income.

Aviation: Carbon Emissions

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to strengthen the International Civil Aviation Organisation agreement and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: At the 41st Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization in 2022, the UK played a leading role in securing agreement on a net zero by 2050 CO2 emissions goal for international aviation. This agreement sends a clear signal of collective ambition and provides the platform for the development of further international measures and policies. UK experts are contributing to technical work on the monitoring of progress towards the goal, and the UK is currently engaged in negotiations to define the role that sustainable aviation fuels will play in meeting it. The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (or CORSIA), the first global market-based measure to address emissions from a single sector, was first agreed in 2016 and airlines have been monitoring their emissions under the scheme since 2019. A further agreement, which the UK was also influential in securing at last year’s Assembly, preserves the integrity of the scheme by setting its baseline at a level stringent enough to ensure airlines begin offsetting their emissions on flights between 125 countries from next year. The UK is also working to strengthen compliance with CORSIA by supporting other states to implement it. As offsetting begins and experience grows, we will use the scheme’s Periodic Reviews to negotiate for it to be strengthened such that it fully supports the new net zero goal.

High Speed 2 Line: Environment Protection

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the natural capital destroyed so far by the construction of HS2, either by the Treasury Green Book guide or any other method.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Environmental sustainability is integral to HS2’s design, with huge efforts being made to minimise the impact of construction on biodiversity, coupled with a commitment to deliver no net loss of biodiversity on Phase One. During the consultation stage, the environmental impacts of the railway are assessed and published in detailed Environmental Statements (ES), which are prepared in line with Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations. As construction progresses, HS2 Ltd works to ensure that the significant effects reported in the ES are not exceeded through compliance with the “Environmental Minimum Requirements," a suite of documents which includes the Environmental Memorandum and the Code of Construction Practice. HS2 Ltd is also committed to publishing annual Environmental Sustainability Progress Reports and Ancient Woodland Reports to update the public on its impacts on the natural environment and on the important work being done to avoid, mitigate and compensate for any adverse effects. All of the documents referred to above are available on the gov.uk website.

Energy: Ports

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current shore power capacity at ports in the UK; and what will be the percentage expansion of capacity required by 2050 to achieve their net zero targets.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government continues to work with the sector on opportunities to deploy additional shore power and other infrastructure. The Government is considering shore power within the wider context of net zero ports and will launch a call for evidence in due course. This will gather further information on future electricity grid capacity needs to support additional infrastructure, including shore power. On 11 September, the government announced £29.5m of R&D funding for shore power projects at the Port of Aberdeen, Atlantic and Peninsula’s Falmouth Port and Portsmouth International Port under the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure competition. These projects will help to reduce emissions at these locations in the short term and will also provide valuable evidence over the multi-year demonstration period to inform future policy and regulation.

Railways: Freight

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government whatdetailed informationthey have aboutfreight train operators who have replaced electric locomotives with diesel over the past year because of the higher costs of electricity; and whether they have had meetings with any such operators to discuss the impact of these changes on His Majesty's Government’s net zero strategy.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Officials and the Rail Minister have discussed this with the freight operating companies who are closely monitoring the situation and will review when electricity prices come down. The decision about which locomotives to use for freight trains is a commercial decision for each individual freight operating company. The Government cannot intervene in such decisions but we continue to work closely to help incentivise the freight industry to meet our net zero targets.

Railways: Ticket Offices

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government when they became aware that train operators Southeastern, South Western andGovia Thameslink Railwayhad halted recruitment of new ticket office staff; and whether they are aware of any other train operators which have taken similar action prior to the start of consultation on ticket office closures; and what assessment they have made of the ability of train operators to fulfil their contractual legal obligations having halted the recruitment of ticket office staff.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Train operators manage their own vacancies, staffing levels and recruitment processes in line with their annual business plans and are expected to deliver their contractual obligations as good and efficient operators.

Trams: Midlands

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support new tram lines extensions or new tram lines in the East and West Midlands.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Responsibility for promoting new mass transit schemes, or extensions to existing networks, is devolved to local transport authorities (LTAs) in England. LTAs are best placed to bring forward new mass transit proposals, which could include light rail or tram technology, based on local transport challenges and opportunities. Currently, the principal way LTAs can access Government funding for mass transit schemes which they wish to prioritise is through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) for eligible Mayoral Combined Authorities. West Midlands Combined Authority has been allocated a Settlement of £1.05 billion between 2022/23 and 2026/27. In the East Midlands, Nottingham Express Transit is financed under a private finance initiative structure. The current contract, which was signed in 2011, expanded the tram network, doubling the previous size. The cost of this expansion will be met over the 23-year life of the contract, and the Department for Transport makes an annual contribution of £24.95 million per annum, alongside a contribution from Nottingham City Council to pay for this scheme.

Stansted Airport: Air Routes

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with the airline industry regarding the expansion of long haul routes from Stansted Airport as a means of driving economic prosperity in the wider eastern England.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Department for Transport Ministers and officials hold regular discussions with airlines, airports and international partners to facilitate global connectivity. Air services between the United Kingdom and other countries are governed by a portfolio of bilateral air services agreements, which set the framework in which airlines from both countries operate. Officials continually review these agreements to ensure they remain up to date and meet the needs of airlines and airports, including Stansted Airport. However, it is for individual airlines to determine whether to take advantage of the rights and routes available to them within any air services agreement.

Cabinet Office

British Constitution

Lord Norton of Louth: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Neville-Rolfe on 26 June (HL8404), why the responsibility of the Deputy Prime Minister for constitutional policy is omitted from the updated list of ministerial responsibilities.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has oversight of all Cabinet Office policy and continues to maintain responsibility for constitutional policy, with support from a wider ministerial team within the Cabinet Office and across Government.

Government Departments: Computer Viruses

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask His Majesty's Government, over the past 12 months, how many individual devices issued by government departments have been identified as containing malware.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The government does not comment on issues concerning national security. The Government Cyber Security Strategy, published in January 2022, sets out how we will build and maintain our cyber defences. The strategy outlines how departments must be able to minimise the impact when malware is found.

Government Departments: Cybercrime

Lord Bassam of Brighton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) successful, and (2) unsuccessful, cyberattacks have been identified in each government department over the past 12 months.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The government does not comment on issues concerning national security. The Government Cyber Security Strategy, published in January 2022, sets out how we will build and maintain our cyber defences. A key objective of the strategy covers how the Government will minimise the impact of cyber security incidents. Departments will need to prepare for incidents, be able to respond and contain when they inevitably do happen and learn the lessons from them after the event.

Cybersecurity

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote greater awareness of cyberthreats among (1) the civil service, (2) public sector workers, and (3) the general public.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government Cyber Security Strategy, published in January 2022, sets out how we will build and maintain our cyber defences - by building greater cyber resilience across all government organisations and working together to ‘defend as one’ which enables a greater defensive force. A key component of the strategy is that the civil service and the public sector at large will have sufficient cyber security knowledge and awareness to identify and respond to cyber threats. In central government this work is being led by the Security, Education and Awareness Centre which promotes awareness of all security issues, including cyber threat, across government. The National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Aware campaign is encouraging the public to take the necessary steps to improve their online security. The campaign sets out the six behaviours they can adopt to stay safe. These range from creating stronger passwords using three random words to turning on two-step verification.

Legislation: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Lord Norton of Louth: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Neville-Rolfe on 7 August (HL9634), which Acts of Parliament are currently eligible for, but are not receiving,post-legislative review by their departments.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: This information is not held centrally. All bills that have reached Royal Assent are eligible for post-legislative scrutiny three to five years after they are enacted. Post-legislative scrutiny memoranda have been published on GOV.UK where bills have undergone the process. In addition, the Lords Special Inquiry Committee appointed to carry out post-legislative scrutiny on specific Acts publishes information on its inquiries on parliament.uk. While all bills that have reached Royal Assent are eligible for post-legislative scrutiny enacted, it can be agreed between the department and the relevant Commons departmental select committee that a memorandum is not required.

Home Office

Migrant Workers: Visas

Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Murray of Blidworth on 18 September (HL9792), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, what proportion of shortage occupation skilled worker visa applicants have passed the English language test requirements in the past six months broken down by occupation type.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: As the Government set out in the previous answer, the requirement to speak English is a core principle of the points-based immigration system – including for occupations on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL). All successful applicants for the Skilled Worker visa (which include SOL occupations) will have demonstrated they can read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.It is not possible to provide data on those who do not pass because in many cases, people will simply not make or complete an application, but no reason will be captured in these cases.The latest published immigration statistics, up to year-ending June 2023, show that there were 190,711 grants to Skilled Worker visa applicants (which includes the Skilled Worker and Health & Care Worker visa). The immigration statistics also provide a breakdown of applications by occupation, and can be accessed here: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-june-2023/why-do-people-come-to-the-uk-to-workApplications - Occupation June 2023  (xlsx, 1921.6KB)

Asylum

Lord German: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the official statistics published by the Home OfficeIrregular migration to the UK, year ending June 2023, published on 24 August, which found that "small boat arrivals account for less than half (46 per cent) of the total number of people claiming asylum in theUKin the year ending June 2023", by what means the other 54 per cent of people seeking asylum arrived in the UK.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes data on small boat arrivals in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ release. Data on asylum applications from small boat arrivals on these applications can be found in table Irr_D02 of the ‘irregular migration detailed datasets’.Other entry routes to the UK may include:arrival on a legal visa route, but where an individual subsequently finds that they are unable to return to their country of origin and have reason to claim asylum in the UKarrival through the common travel area without valid permission to enterarrival through other irregular routes including lorries or shipping containersarrival through regular routes using fraudulent documentstable Irr_D02 (xlsx, 65.8KB)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Lord Shinkwin: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the proscription of the Wagner Group,what assessment they have made of the case for proscribingof the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: While the UK Government keeps the list of proscribed organisations under review, we do not routinely comment on whether an organisation is or is not being considered for proscription. The UK Government has long been clear about our concerns over the malign activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The UK maintains sanctions on over 350 Iranian individuals and entities covering human rights abuses and nuclear proliferation. The Government has also imposed sanctions on the IRGC in its entirety and on several senior security and political figures in Iran, including senior commanders within the IRGC and its Basij force.The Government will continue to hold Iran and the IRGC to account.

China: Foreign Influence Registration Scheme

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether China should be specified under the ‘enhanced tier’ of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: As the Deputy Prime Minister stated during the Security Update on 11 September, it remains an absolute priority for the government to take all necessary steps to protect the United Kingdom from any foreign state activity which seeks to undermine our national security, prosperity and democratic values. Earlier this year, the Government passed the National Security Act 2023, which provides for the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), a two-tier scheme which will enable transparency of foreign influence in UK politics and provide greater assurance around the activities of specified foreign powers or foreign power-controlled entities. In implementing the scheme, the Government is considering where greater scrutiny is needed through the enhanced tier to protect the safety or interests of the UK. As the Deputy Prime Minister stated, the Government is currently reviewing the foreign powers who should be specified on the enhanced tier but will not make any announcements in respect of this, until it has gone through all the proper processes.Work is ongoing to deliver the scheme, including establishing a Scheme Management Unit and supporting IT and developing relevant guidance. A public consultation on guidance for the scheme is currently live on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/foreign-influence-registration-scheme-draft-guidanceGuidance on the Foreign Influence Reg. Scheme (pdf, 228.0KB)

Undocumented Migrants: Sahel

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of migrants who arrived in the UK via irregular routes from countries in the Sahel during the past 12 months.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes statistics on detected irregular arrivals to the UK by method of entry and nationality (which may differ from country of origin), in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK statistics’ release on gov.uk. These statistics are published in table Irr_D01 of the irregular migration to the UK detailed datasets, which can be downloaded via the table attached.The latest data goes up to the end of June 2023.Table (xlsx, 1206.1KB)

Asylum: Rwanda

Lord Rosser: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Rwandans have (1) applied for asylum, and(2) been granted asylum, in each year since 2010.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications and initial decisions, by nationality and year, in the Immigration System Statistics quarterly release on gov.uk. These statistics are published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 of the asylum & resettlement detailed datasets which can be downloaded via the table attached.The latest data relates to the end of June 2023.Table (xlsx, 9576.4KB)

Undocumented Migrants: Children

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government when, if at all, they intend to publish the operational processes and circumstances in which the Home Office will use the ‘vice versa’ power of child transfer from local authority care under the Illegal Migration Act 2023.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Illegal Migration Act received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023. The Act seeks to ensure the only way to come to the UK for protection will be through safe and legal routes and will take power out of the hands of the criminal gangs and protect vulnerable people, including children.In light of Mr Justice Chamberlain’s High Court judgment of 27 July 2023 in ECPAT UK, R (On the Application Of) v Kent County Council & Anor [2023] EWHC 1953 (Admin), we are reflecting on our use of powers in the Illegal Migration Act relating to the accommodation and transfer of unaccompanied children. This includes the vice versa transfer power in Section 17. These powers have not yet been commenced; a decision will be made on this matter in due course.We will continue to work with local authorities across the UK to ensure suitable local authority placements are provided for unaccompanied children, in line with their statutory duties.

Asylum: Children

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, for Home Office accommodation for unaccompanied asylum seeking children to be subject to regulation and inspection by Ofsted.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Government continues to take steps to support local authorities to provide timely placements to unaccompanied children through the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). We remain committed to working with the local authority sector to ensure the system continues to operate effectively and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children move out of Home Office hotels quickly in light of the ECPAT judgment in the High Court.

Asylum: Gender

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government how many people who arrived in the UK by small boats in each of the last three years claimed asylum based on their (1) sexual orientation, or (2) gender identity; and of those, how many have been granted refugee status.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes data on small boat arrivals in the ‘Irregular migration to the UK’ release. Data on asylum applications from small boat arrivals and initial decisions on these applications can be found in tables Irr_D02 and Irr_D03 respectively of the ‘irregular migration detailed datasets’. Please note that information on the basis of the asylum claim (e.g. sexual orientation or gender identity) is not published.Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. The latest data relate to the year ending June 2023.Additionally, data on asylum claims on the basis of sexual orientation can be found in tables SOC_00, SOC_01 and SOC_02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement datasets’, as part of the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Please note that this data is not broken down by method of arrival to the UK (i.e. small boats). The latest data relate to 2022.tables Irr_D02 and Irr_D03  (xlsx, 111.6KB)tables SOC_00, SOC_01 and SOC_02  (xlsx, 47.6KB)

Home Office: Ministers

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask His Majesty's Government whohas held office since 1 October 1993 as (1) Home Secretary, and (2) minister responsible for immigration; and what were the dates of their appointment.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office believes that this information is readily available to the Peer online.

Cybersecurity

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation relating to cybersecurity practices and offences.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Government keeps the UK’s cyber legislation under regular review to ensure that it can be used to tackle new and emerging threats. The UK’s regulatory framework for cyber resilience is a mixture of: sector-based regulation such the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018; thematic regulation such as the Data Protection Act 2018; and criminal legislation such as the Computer Misuse Act 1990.The Government has undertaken several amendments to legislation to ensure it keeps pace with the evolving cyber threat, including updating the Computer Misuse Act in 2015 and updating the Network and Information Systems Regulations (2018) in 2020.In 2022 the Government published proposals to make changes to the Network and Information Systems Regulations and these will be implemented as soon as Parliamentary time allows. The government has also carried out a review of the Computer Misuse Act and is currently considering whether to bring forward legislative proposals.

Religious Buildings

The Lord Bishop of Bristol: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have figures on the number of places of worship open in the UK.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Registrar General for England and Wales has a statutory duty to maintain a list of all places of worship in England and Wales which is available for the public to view on Places of worship registered for marriage - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)   Places of worship registered for marriage  (xlsx, 2212.7KB)

Visas: Graduates

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government how they identify the non-UK universities whose graduates are eligible for a High Potential Individual (HPI) entry visa; and which universities have either been removed from or added to the list of these universities since the HPI visa was introduced.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The High Potential Individual (HPI) route is for recent graduates of top global universities. Details of universities on the Global Universities List (GUL) and how the list is compiled is set out in paragraph 6 of the Immigration Rules (www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-introduction).Applicants must have graduated from a top global university in the five years immediately preceding the application. Eligible institutions can be found on the Global Universities List for the relevant graduating year (www.gov.uk/government/publications/high-potential-individual-visa-global-universities-list).This list of universities relates to qualifications awarded between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023.Alphabetical Rankings Lists 2022 (establishments from Top 50 rankings which appeared on 2 or more lists)CountryCalifornia Institute of Technology (Caltech)USAChinese University of Hong KongHong KongColumbia UniversityUSACornell UniversityUSADuke UniversityUSAEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL Switzerland)SwitzerlandETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)SwitzerlandHarvard UniversityUSAJohns Hopkins UniversityUSAKarolinska InstituteSwedenKyoto UniversityJapanMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)USAMcGill UniversityCanadaNanyang Technological University (NTU)SingaporeNational University of SingaporeSingaporeNew York UniversityUSANorthwestern UniversityUSAParis Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research UniversityFrancePeking UniversityChinaPrinceton UniversityUSAStanford UniversityUSATechnical University of MunichGermanyTsinghua UniversityChinaUniversity of British ColumbiaCanadaUniversity of California, BerkeleyUSAUniversity of California, Los AngelesUSAUniversity of California, San DiegoUSAUniversity of ChicagoUSAUniversity of Hong KongHong KongUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUSAUniversity of MelbourneAustraliaUniversity of Michigan-Ann ArborUSAUniversity of PennsylvaniaUSAUniversity of Queensland (UQ)AustraliaUniversity of Texas at AustinUSAUniversity of TokyoJapanUniversity of TorontoCanadaUniversity of WashingtonUSAYale UniversityUSAZhejiang UniversityChina

Asylum: Children

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total cost per night, including the cost of safeguarding, of placing an unaccompanied child seeking asylum in a hotel while waiting for a local authority placement.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The cost of accommodating unaccompanied asylum seeking children is subject to change depending on the numbers being accommodated. Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential, therefore the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accountsho-annual-reports-and-accounts (pdf, 9727.7KB)

Department of Health and Social Care

Naltrexone: Gambling

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the efficacy of Naltrexone in the treatment of problem gambling.

Lord Markham: No assessment has been made. The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence is developing a clinical guideline for the treatment of harmful gambling. This will cover psychological and psychosocial interventions as well as pharmacological treatments. The attached document outlines the full scope of the guideline. Publication is expected in spring 2024.Draft Scope of NICE guidance (pdf, 301.3KB)

Asthma: Children

Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government whichlocalities in England reported the highest pro rata child hospitalisations for asthma in 2022.

Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government whichhospitals had the highest patient admissions for child asthma in 2022.

Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government whatwas the monthly rate for child admissions for asthma into English hospitals in 2022.

Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government what were the annual child hospital admission rates for asthma in each of the past 20 years.

Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the monthly average for reported child hospital admissions for asthma in England.

Lord Markham: A table is attached due to the size of the data involved. The information available on children admitted to hospital for asthma is shown in this table, with data for 2022 being provisional.Data is not held by locality, but the number of admissions for children with asthma by hospital trust and by site, is provided in tab (i) within the table. The average number of monthly child admissions for asthma into English hospitals in 2022 is shown in tab (ii) within the table. Tab (iii) in the table shows the number of annual child hospital admissions for asthma in each of the past 20 years.Table showing data for asthma hospital admissions. (xlsx, 35.6KB)

Fractures: Osteoporosis

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the impact of fragility fractures caused by undiagnosed osteoporosis on informal care-givers of working age; and what the impact of this is on the labour market.

Lord Markham: Unpaid carers play a vital role in our communities, and we all owe them a debt of gratitude. We want unpaid carers to live healthy and fulfilling lives alongside their caring role.No assessment, specifically on the impact of fragility fractures caused by undiagnosed osteoporosis on informal caregivers of working age; and what the impact of this is on the labour market, has been made. However, the Care Act (2014) requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for unpaid carers. Local authorities are required to undertake a Carer’s Assessment for any unpaid carer who appears to have a need for support and to meet their eligible needs on request from the carer.In 2023/24, £327 million of funding from the Better Care Fund have been earmarked to provide short breaks and respite services for carers. This also funds additional advice and support to carers and a small number of additional local authority duties.The enormous contribution made by unpaid carers is reflected throughout the social care reform white paper People at the Heart of Care, published in December 2021, and Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care, published in April 2023.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to providepolicy options on the immunisation programme forRespiratory Syncytial Virus.

Lord Markham: Detailed policy options based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s advice on respiratory syncytial virus immunisation programmes to protect infants and adults are being developed. The Department is working with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England on these options, with NHS England leading on delivery.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the letter from the Secretary of State for Health to his counterparts in the Welsh and Scottish governments on 13 August, what (1) arrangements, or (2) agreements, they have made with those governments concerning the reduction of hospital waiting lists.

Lord Markham: We are committed to reducing waiting times across England and the United Kingdom, and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Steve Barclay MP) has written to the devolved administrations to offer to work collaboratively to reduce long waits. He also indicated that he would consider any request for patients waiting for lengthy periods for treatment in Scotland and Wales to be able to choose from alternate providers in England.Officials in the Department are seeking an initial meeting with the devolved administrations to discuss how we can work jointly and share lessons on tackling the longest waits.More generally, the Government has a longstanding history of close working with the Devolved Governments on cross-border commissioning arrangements. These have been in place for several years and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland already have the power to contract with any National Health Service provider in England for specific services.For example, NHS England commissions five specialised services on behalf of patients from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: Choriocarcinoma, Craniofacial services, Liver transplantation (where this takes place at English providers), Retinoblastoma, and Specialist paediatric liver services.

NHS: Translation Services

Baroness Coussins: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the scoping review of issues and options for improving community languages translation and interpretation services in the NHS has been completed; and if not, when it is expected to be completed, and when the detailed terms of reference and timetable for this review will be published.

Lord Markham: The Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Team in NHS England are completing a scoping and options review of the most effective and appropriate national interventions to facilitate improvements in community language translation, and interpretation services, to meet the needs of communities; and support equitable access, experience, and outcomes for all.The team are aiming to complete the scoping and options appraisal in November 2023 and to agree recommendations in March 2024. There has not been a decision regarding the publication of the terms of reference.

Tobacco: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government what checks, paperwork or monitoring will be introduced with respect to the movement of the goods covered by the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Lord Markham: It is a requirement in the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 that heated tobacco products to be sold on the Northern Ireland market are notified on the European Union’s Common Entry Gateway six months before they are placed on the Northern Ireland market. A fee is payable to notify.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities in the Department of Health and Social Care in England manages notifications for tobacco products in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and publishes a list of compliant products notified on the GOV.UK website in an online-only format. The last list was published on 9 August 2023.Heated tobacco products moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland to be sold on the Northern Ireland market will need to compliant with the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 from 23 October 2023. Each district council in Northern Ireland will monitor and enforce the new requirements.

Treasury

Self-employed: National Insurance

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to theWritten Answer fromBaroness Penn on 13 September(HL9883) stating that HMRC "introduced a new online version of the form CA3837 in June 2023", whether the final form will appear in digital format as well as, or as an alternative to, being sent out by post.

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are plans to ensure that all queries about A1 (CA3837) forms can be dealt with online, by telephone, or both, rather than by post.

Baroness Penn: We are moving the full A1 application process to an online service. This will improve the speed at which customers have applications processed. This digital approach will be phased in over a number of months and the print and post version that is on GOV.UK will be removed. This will hugely improve the user experience when completing the form and sending necessary supporting documents. We cannot be specific on the timescales for this change but please continue to review GOV.UK where we will publish updated information on the services we offer, for customers going to work overseas. We do not have any plans to allow customers to apply to work overseas via the A1/S1 application process by telephone. This is due to the level of detailed information that is needed when submitting the form.

Department for Education

Pupil Exclusions

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total number of pupils (1) excluded, and (2) permanently excluded, from (a) primary, and (b) secondary, schools in each of the past three years.

Baroness Barran: Information on permanent exclusions and suspensions is published in the annual Permanent Exclusions and Suspensions in England national statistics, with the latest available data being from summer term 2021/22: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/permanent-and-fixed-period-exclusions-in-england.Suspensions and permanent exclusions in state-funded primary and state-funded secondary schools in England 2018/19 to 2021/22 2018/192019/202020/212021/22State-funded primaryPermanent exclusions1,067739392758Permanent exclusions (rate)0.020.020.010.02Suspensions66,46347,26146,20366,203Suspension (rate)1.411.000.991.42Pupil enrolments with one or more suspension29,77123,72624,41831,437Pupil enrolments with one or more suspension (rate)0.630.500.520.68State-funded secondaryPermanent exclusions6,7534,2693,4925,658Permanent exclusions (rate)0.200.130.100.16Suspensions357,715253,307296,224498,120Suspension (rate)10.757.438.4813.96Pupil enrolments with one or more suspension164,214125,816153,006214,650Pupil enrolments with one or more suspension (rate)4.933.694.386.02(1) For 2019/20 and 2020/21, while suspensions and permanent exclusions were possible throughout the academic year, pandemic restrictions will have had an impact on the numbers presented and caution should be taken when comparing across years. 2018/19 has been included to give the pre-pandemic year figures.Source: School Census. https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/27c1ed1a-73aa-4909-acfd-08dbb395de42(2) Exclusion rates are the number of permanent exclusions/suspensions/pupil enrolments with one or more suspensions as a percentage of the number of sole and dual main registered pupils on roll on January school census day.

Childcare: Finance

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Barran on 30 March (HL6589), whether the expenditure outlined is additional expenditure to that already previously committed and budgeted.

Baroness Barran: Further to the response of 30 March, the department will substantially uplift the hourly rate paid to local authorities to increase hourly rates paid to childcare providers to deliver existing free entitlements offers. The department is providing £204 million of additional funding in 2023/24 and £288 million in 2024/25.This funding is in addition to the £4.1 billion that the government expects to provide by 2027/28 to facilitate the expansion of the new free hours, and also sits on top of funding already announced for 2023/24.This is new money, on top of the 2021 Spending Review announcement of additional funding of £180 million in 2023/24 and £170 million in 2024/25, compared to the 2021/22 financial year, and the further £20 million for 2023/24 announced on 16 December 2022.The department is continuing to explore how we can support the sector to deliver the additional places that will be required. We will work closely with local authorities and providers to identify what needs to be in place to support this significant expansion in childcare provision, including capital requirements as well as workforce.

Special Educational Needs

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the process by which a pupil becomes eligible for an Education, Health and Care Plan.

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how eligibility for an Education, Health and Care Plan compares to eligibility for Statementing for Special Educational Needs in devolved regions of the United Kingdom.

Baroness Barran: Education is a devolved matter and there are different systems for supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.In England, a child or young person is eligible for an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan if it is necessary for a local authority to make ‘special educational provision’ in accordance with such a plan. This test and other aspects of the decision-making process are set out in the Children and Families Act 2014. The statutory criteria for eligibility for EHC plans in England are not replicated in the other parts of the United Kingdom.Departmental officials have regular dialogue with counterparts in the Devolved Administrations.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Scottish Government

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks of the Cabinet Secretary in evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution on 18 July, what action they have taken to review the position of the Scottish Minister for Independence and the team of civil servants who currently support him.

Lord Evans of Rainow: I am aware that the Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, has stated that he is considering this matter.All civil servants must abide by the Civil Service Code and the law, and that applies to civil servants working for the Scottish Government.People expect their Governments to be fully focused on the issues which matter most to them: driving down inflation, growing our economy and maintaining the UK’s energy security by making Britain more energy independent.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Departmental Responsibilities

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask His Majesty's Government whohas held office since 1 October 1993 as the minister responsible for housing; and what were the dates of their appointment.

Lord Evans of Rainow: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not maintain an historical list of ministerial appointments and the dates of those appointments. Such information is publicly available through a variety of sources.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Commonwealth Games

Lord Kamall: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the withdrawal of Victoria and Alberta as hosts for the 2026 and 2030 Commonwealth Games respectively, whether they intend to invite expressions of interest to host the 2026 or 2030 Commonwealth Games from UK cities and regions; whether they have spoken to any UK cities or regions interested in hosting the 2026 or 2030 Commonwealth Games; and whether they are aware of any other Commonwealth countries that have expressed an interest in hosting the 2026 or 2030 Commonwealth Games.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The announcement by the Victorian Government was disappointing for fans and athletes across the Commonwealth. HM Government is keen that the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Australia should work together to find a viable solution to hosting the event in 2026 so that athletes have the chance to compete in, and fans have the opportunity to enjoy, this incredible event.The UK is proud to have hosted the Games twice in the past decade, including in Birmingham last year – coming in under budget and adding at least £870 million of Gross Value Added to the UK economy. We are committed to working with the Commonwealth Games Federation and other Commonwealth countries to support a sustainable future for the Games.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Broadband: Rural Areas

Lord Empey: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is a delay in issuing vouchers in Northern Ireland under the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme for rural broadband connectivity.

Viscount Camrose: As part of Project Gigabit, we are planning to launch procurements in Northern Ireland, to bring gigabit-capable broadband to premises that will not be reached by suppliers’ commercial plans.Work is under way to identify the premises requiring support, and a temporary pause to the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme for projects in Northern Ireland was initiated to enable the intervention area to be defined.Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working closely with all active suppliers registered on the voucher scheme to identify areas where a voucher-funded project has a good likelihood of delivering gigabit coverage faster than the procurement route and represents good value for money. These areas are designated as voucher priority areas, meaning that suppliers are able to continue to build voucher-funded projects in these areas throughout procurement.

Newport Wafer Fab

Lord Wigley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Viscount Camrose on 18 September regarding the Newport Wafer Fab factory (HL Deb col 1199), when they expect the judicial review to be completed, thereby enabling ministers to answer parliamentary questions on this issue.

Viscount Camrose: The timing of judicial reviews is a matter for the Court. The Investment Security Unit in the Cabinet Office is responsible for monitoring Nexperia’s compliance with the Final Order issued under the National Security and Investment Act 2021.

Semiconductors: Manufacturing Industries

Lord Sharkey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the publication of the National Semiconductor Strategy on 19 May, when they expect to make a decision on the level of financial support that will be offered to underpin the competitiveness of the semiconductor manufacturing sector; and what discussions they have had to inform this decision and with whom.

Viscount Camrose: The National Semiconductor Strategy sets out the government’s plan to build on the UK’s strengths to grow our sector, increase our resilience and protect our security. We will announce plans in the autumn to further support the competitiveness of the semiconductor manufacturing sector that is critical to the UK tech ecosystem or our national security. The Government’s new Semiconductor Advisory Panel met on 14 September and informed the Government’s approach. The panel is representative of the UK’s semiconductor industry, and the ecosystem that supports it. In an independent capacity, experts from British titans such as ARM, IQE and PragmatIC sit on the panel, as well as representation from venture capital, academia and the RaspberryPi Foundation.

Science and Technology: Training

Lord Knight of Weymouth: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps theyare taking to improve access to training relating to the five technologies identified as critical in the Science and Technology Framework, published on 6 March.

Viscount Camrose: The Government's Science and Technology Framework, published March 2023, recognises the importance of training across the five critical technologies. The talent and skills strand outlines the actions the Government is taking across the science and technology landscape. This includes establishing 21 Institutes of Technology to provide industry-standard training facilities. Technology-specific examples include £25 million increased investment in quantum fellowships, doctoral training and apprenticeships. Additionally, the Government is providing £117 million for AI researchers doctoral training, and publishing new guidance that sets out AI competencies for the workplace. Investment in training will contribute to realising the UK’s 2030 science superpower ambitions.